1. Personal Narrative

Unit I: Personal Narrative
Write What You Know:
The first rule of writing is to write what you know. You know your own story. Because you know your own story, you simply write, focusing on what happened, the suspense, who said what, all without noticing the words or any of the "rules" of writing.

"The rules" greatly hinder writing. Too often people think, “If I don't write by ‘the rules,’ my writing stinks.” Not being sure of the rules, they don't write. But good writing comes out from the heart, not the grammar book. Once your good ideas are on paper, the rules slide gently in to make them great. The rules come last, but only as needed. Story and the meaning it carries come first.

Develop the Moment:
Once your story is on paper, you now develop the experience into something that will affect the reader. The biggest problem with rough drafts is they usually bore the reader to distraction. But your Narrative does not remain boring. Knowing well your own story, you turn your weak verbs into action and add character description and dialogue with ease. You picture the setting, and describe it with the right words. You find the twist that catches your reader into the suspense or the joy you felt.

Take Pride in Your Accomplishment:
It always amazes me what happens when students complete the final drafts of their Personal Narrative - what happens in them. As their reader, I may be astonished and moved by the power of their story, but it is they who are astonished and moved realizing the awesome story they have written.

It is there, when you have written your own story powerfully well, that the best idea enters your mind.

"I can write; I am a writer."

 

Lesson Set A: Write What You Know

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You have a story to share with others. You are a great writer. Remove the blockages, the fears of making a mistake and just write. Even Stephen King needs an editor. Your story can always be re-shaped, made sharper and more vibrant, but only if you first write.

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Lesson 1: Course Introduction

Note: The outline of this course as found on these pages is for those who wish to make use of these suggestions for their own purposes. Not all of the course is included here. Many of the course documents are listed, but only some are available here for your use. If you prefer to access the whole course, then click on the "Action Writing through Personal Narrative" button on the right.  

• Task: Obtain a three-ring binder for The Writing Course and a three-hole punch. Keep everything from each Unit in your Notebook, using dividers to separate Units and Sets of Lessons. Include all documents and papers in your notebook.

• E-Docs: 1. Unit I: Personal Narrative – Syllabus. Use the Syllabus to see the full layout of the Unit and to check off each Lesson that you complete. 2. The Writing Guidelines lay out for you the expectations of this course for topics, style, writing format, and so on. If you have purchased the editing package, please read and follow them carefully. If you have not, feel free to make use of those suggestions that will enhance the professional quality of your work. 3. The Writing Course Guide gives a description of the various terms used to reference the elements of this course.

Enroll in the course to access all of the documents.

The Writing Course Guide

 
This course is quite simple to follow. Keep in mind the following things. The dark-green bullets tell you what to do. Everything else is information to study, think about, and apply to your writing. There are four kinds of dark-green bullets:

• Task: This is something you do, either reading selections or an exercise or applying certain things to your own Narrative. You do not send these things to the Writing Conservatory.

• E-Docs: These are the names of the various documents that apply to each step of writing and re-writing your Personal Narrative, etc. Each document is included as a PDF attachment.

• Write: This bullet explains specifically what you write as a part of this course.

• Send: This bullet tells you exactly what to send to your chosen editor for comments and critique. 

Note: If you want to gain the full benefit from these suggestion without enrolling in the course, then find someone you know who is good at critiquing. Be sure they have the instructions and rubric explanation for each thing you write. Ask them to mark and comment only by the instructions and rubric. They will be your "editor."
 

Lesson 2: Approaches to Writing

Writing skills are more influential in today's high-tech and competitive world than anytime previous.

• Task: Read through the following articles on the power of written English today. Jot down some notes on the things your learn pertaining to the importance of writing skills today.

Global English By Kenneth Beare – How many people learn English globally?
Marketing with Articles By Bob Bly – Mr. Bly has earned millions selling his very useful E-Books on the Internet.
How the Internet Changed Writing By Kevin Kelleher – Thoughts on the differences the Internet has made.
Writing for the Web By Nick Usborne – a successful blog on writing for the Internet.
Importance of Writing Skills By Gene A. Budig – A study on the importance of writing skills for college entrance.
Speaking versus Writing By Joseph Esberger – Some of the differences between speaking and writing.

There is a significant difference between spoken English and written English. When you speak with a friend, you rely on facial expressions, hand gestures, and prior knowledge of each other. None of those elements are present in written English. Therefore, written English must follow a different set of "rules" in order to convey a similar depth of meaning. 

Reasons to Write: To Entertain - To Inform - To Explain To Persuade - To Reflect - To Record E-Docs:  The Writing Process. The Writing Process

Writing Is Fun Writing is Fun! I love playing around with words, and taking this writing course has made me more adept at something I already enjoy immensely. The English language is an amazing, vibrant, living thing. I want to harness its awesomeness and understand the way it works its magic. - Matthew

• Task: Study The Writing Process document carefully. Consider the several steps in the writing process, the "rules" for each step, and the types of things to be accomplished in each step.


• Write: Write one short paragraph on the hobby you enjoy doing the most, what it is and why you enjoy it. Be sure the "hobby" you select is both legal and appropriate.

• Write: Write a list of three reasons why you want to take a writing course to learn to write better. Try to have three different reasons. Some may be surface reasons, such as do better in college, etc., but be sure 1 or 2 are deep reasons - human, life, personal desire sort of things. Be as specific and detailed as you can, that is, explain yourself specifically for each reason. Personal examples would be appropriate.

• Send: Include your "Hobby" paragraph and your "Reasons for Writing" into the same document and send it to your editor at the same time that you send your Personal Narrative Draft 1. Title the document “Hobby.” Add a copy to your Notebook. It is easier for someone marking your paper if they know just a bit more about you and your interests.

Lesson 3: Narrative Pre-Writing

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You will write very soon, yes. But what will you write? You have lived your own story; you know yourself.  But how will your reader know and see and touch what you have experienced? Learn to look at your own story with the eyes of your reader.

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Your Paper for this Unit will be a Personal Narrative. Select some event or activity you participated in, or something that happened to you, sometime in the last few years. You want an event that has interest and action, with a little suspense if possible. Narratives with no "problems" are usually not interesting. Difficulty and solution is what makes any personal narrative enjoyable reading.

You will write Draft 1 of your Narrative Paper during Lab 1 - in one sitting. The more prepared you are beforehand, the better success you will have in writing your first Paper. This Lesson takes you through the pre-writing process.

• E-Docs: 1. Personal Narrative Paper - a specific explanation of the entire Personal Narrative assignment for this Unit. 2.  M.G. Narrative 3 - a good example of the final draft of this Unit written at the college level.

Personal Narrative Assignment	MG - Narrative 3

• Task: Read through each of the documents, especially the example of student work doing this same paper.

Ideas for your Narrative Topic - think about:

• a time when you overcame adversity
• an event that changed the course of your life
• a period of uncertainty or great fear
• a thrilling experience
• something you did that brought you acceptance, recognition, or a feeling of pride
• an unexpected or dramatic experience

• Task: Jot down three possible topics or events or things you did or things that happened to you that you could write a Narrative Paper on. Circle the one you think you will choose, remembering that suspense and difficulties of some sort (even humorous difficulties) make the best Narrative.

• E-Docs:  1. Charts for Narrative Pre-Writing. Fill in these charts after you have chosen a topic for your Narrative paper. You will need them for Lab 1: Narrative 1. The more detailed you can make these charts, the easier it will be to write Narrative 1 in one sitting. 

Charts for Narrative Pre-Writing

 

Lesson 4: Rubrics & Rough Drafts

Your editor should mark and grade all your Drafts according to a Rubric. A Rubric is a chart with 10 grading areas worth 10 percent of the grade each. Each Draft has a different Rubric.

• E-Docs:  Narrative 1 Comment Rubric is an example of a blank Rubric marked with comments for some “Draft.” For each Draft sent in, you receive back a Rubric like this one with the scores and comments from your editor.

Example Comment Rubric

I learned from The Writing Course to follow the rubric. The rubric is the instructions on how to write the essay the editor wants to read. If you don't follow the rubric, you will have problems! In a similar way, building a bike is harder if you don't follow the instructions. - Jackie

You will begin writing each Draft knowing what it must contain in order to do well. However, the Rubric is used strictly. If something is not listed on the Rubric, then it is not considered as part of the grade. For instance, spelling is not listed in the Rubric for Narrative 2, therefore spelling will not be considered in the grade. On the other hand, if the Rubric calls for dialogue and your paper has no dialogue, then 0 points will be awarded for that category.

Always check your Draft against the Rubric. No matter how brilliantly well it is written, if it does not contain what the Rubric calls for, it cannot receive those points. The Rubric helps you know exactly how your Paper will be marked. Follow the Rubric and you will do well.

Each paper you write will have three drafts. However, the first step is always Pre-Writing.

• Pre-Writing: Since you can write well only what you already know, Pre-Writing is an effort to increase and focus your knowledge.

• Draft 1: Once you have focused your knowledge, or researched to learn more, then the rule of writing the first draft is always - Rule 2: There are no rules; just write. It is important to write freely without worrying about a grade. Draft 1 is always graded easily. Your editor will operate on the premise that you can't steer a parked car. You cannot learn to write better unless you first freely write.

• Draft 2: This draft is where the hard work of revision takes place. Major changes must happen. Your editor will edit and grade Draft 2 severely.

• Draft 3: This draft is the final polish. Here you worry about such things as correct grammar and how it looks on the page. When grading Draft 3, your editor will lean more towards the overall impression. The grading is not as severe as Draft 2.

Lesson 5: Guide to Narrative Writing

One final thing before you write Narrative 1. Look at how other people approach personal narrative, how they shape their own story.

• Task: Read through the following web pages. These articles are simply to help you gain a larger picture of narrative writing. However, do not be concerned about meeting any "requirements" when you write your Narrative 1, except those on the Rubric.

Writing Narrative Personal Essays Some tips on writing the Narrative Essay.
If I Were a Carpenter By Roy Peter Clark – The tools of the writing trade.
Life Line: Personal Narratives By Laurie Rozakis – Excerpts and thoughts on writing a personal Narrative.
 

Lab 1: Write Narrative 1

• E-Docs: Narrative 1 Rubric with Explanations - Study the rubric carefully to understand the few requirements for Narrative 1. This document also includes a blank rubric for Narrative 1 that you can print out and give to an editor for marking and comments. 

Narrative 1 Rubric

You will need the Pre-Writing Charts that you have been working on.

Note: It is of vital importance for your success in learning to write well that you write Narrative 1 in one sitting with no outside assistance. A short break is fine, but please set aside the time so that you are not away from writing Narrative 1 for more than a few minutes. Feel free to correct little problems that you see as you write, but the Draft you send us MUST be your own ROUGH Draft. That is, it must be what you write when you write without worrying about ANY writing "rules."

• Write: Write Narrative 1 in one sitting with no outside assistance and little, if any, revision. Follow the rules of writing the rough draft. Rule 2: There are no rules; just write. Once you have finished writing, go back through and be sure you have met the few requirements from the Narrative 1 Rubric.

• Send: When you are finished, email your Narrative 1 to your editor as an attachment titled "Narrative 1". Your editor will add comments to a blank Rubric, and send the Rubric to you ready to begin the long process of preparing for Narrative 2.

Further Opportunities

You will find further opportunities here.

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